Law Offices of Levine & Miller

The McClellan Law Firm

McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP

University of San Diego School of Law

Troutman Sanders

2012 Winner

Kenneth Vandevelde

Thomas Jefferson School of Law

Education

Law School/Year: Harvard Law School, cum laude

College/Year: University of Louisville, summa cum laude

Bar Admissions

California

Practice Areas

International Law

Major Cases

Professor Vandevelde was part of a team representing the United States before the International Court of Justice in a case brought by Nicaragua. He wrote the argument on the Vandenberg Amendment, on which the United States prevailed. He also represented 4,000 claimants before the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal in The Hague in claims arising out of the Islamic Revolution. In private practice, his biggest case was a $30 million claim (which seemed like a lot more money in the 1980s than it does now) against a defendant represented by David Boies. Professor Vandevelde also has served as an expert witness in international investment arbitrations.

Professional Background

Professor Vandevelde spent four years in private practice, three at a large Washington, D.C., law firm and one at a San Diego firm. His practice focused on the representation of Native American tribes and general litigation. He spent six years practicing international law at the State Department, including international litigation, international arbitration and treaty negotiations. He has published three books on international investment law and arbitration: “Bilateral Investment Treaties: History, Policy and Interpretation”; “U.S. International Investment Agreements”; and United States Investment Treaties: Policy and Practice.” He also has a fourth book, titled “Thinking Like a Lawyer: An Introduction to Legal Reasoning.”

Professional Affiliations

He is a law professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, where he served as dean from 1994 to 2005, during which time the law school separated from Western State University, obtained ABA accreditation and converted to a nonprofit educational institution. Currently he teaches constitutional law, American legal history and international investment law and arbitration. He also serves as a pro bono consultant on international law to the United Nations and various other international organizations and foreign governments.

Personal Affiliations

In recent years, Professor Vandevelde has been active as a volunteer for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. He and his oldest daughter have participated in two bike rides through Death Valley in which they raised a combined total of $20,000 for the foundation. They will participate in another bike ride this fall, with the goal of raising a minimum of $6,000.

Personal Background

Professor Vandevelde is a native of Kentucky, where he lived until the age of 22. He moved to Massachusetts to attend law school and then to Washington, D.C., where he met his wife, Lidia. When they were ready to start a family, they moved to San Diego. Their older daughter, Jenny, recently graduated from SDSU and their younger daughter, Shelly, is a junior at Cal State San Marcos. Their two border collies, Striker and Sprite, do not currently attend school.

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